


In Every Light That Shines

by crossingandromeda



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-27 10:26:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20946812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crossingandromeda/pseuds/crossingandromeda
Summary: After graduating and moving to their new town, Kyo and Tohru enjoy their new surroundings - and the privacy along with it. Though Tohru is thrilled to be embarking on this journey with Kyo, she feels some anxiety over the next steps in her life, and their relationship.





	1. First Night

The last two weeks had been exciting, though they were also tiring. Kyo and Tohru had been busy ever since graduation, packing up their few belongings at Shigure's house, and staying as guests at Kazuma's until their plans to move to the little mountain town were figured out. They were to stay in a small house near the dojo Kyo was going to work at. Luckily, the previous tenant had offered them a few pieces of furniture so the house wouldn't be completely empty when they arrived. 

Moving had been easier than expected, but once they arrived and unpacked, Kyo and Tohru realized that they would need to buy a lot of things for their new home. 

"I think I have enough saved to buy some pots and pans," Tohru thought aloud, furrowing her brow, "but maybe not enough for a set of knives..." 

Kyo took stock of the kitchen, and the many things they did not have. "Don't worry too much, Tohru. I'll start work this week, and things will be all right after a month or so." 

Tohru looked closely at him, noticing the stern look on his face. "I'm going to find a job right away, Kyo-kun! You don't have to worry about _all_ the money!" 

He brushed the bulk of her hair over her shoulder, his arm circling her and pulling her close to his side. He kissed her temple. "Don't get just any job because you're worried about money. Try to find something you like, okay?" 

Tohru nodded and sighed contentedly, and they shared a moment to take in their new surroundings. It was oddly quiet with just them there. They were used to being in a house full of people, where quiet moments like this felt stolen. 

"What do you want to do now?" Kyo asked. 

"Oh! Um, I suppose we did finish unpacking earlier than I thought..." 

Kyo let her think for a moment before offering his suggestion. "I know we're not supposed to be spending money on things we don't need, but I want to take you somewhere. Maybe even just to explore the neighborhood, if that's okay." 

Tohru beamed. "I'd love that!" 

"If we're going to celebrate moving in... should we change clothes?" 

Tohru couldn't help but blush, intensifying the giddiness in her smile. "Yes!" 

Kyo sighed a sort of chuckle at her enthusiasm. "Go get changed then," he said. 

Tohru went down the short hallway to their bedroom, and disappeared for about ten minutes, finally emerging in a deep pink dress, with little ruffles along the sleeves and neckline. Kyo had never seen it, and blushed when she came out to the living room. 

"You look... cute," he said sheepishly. Tohru's heart thumped in response. "I'm going to change my clothes now. Just wait here." 

Kyo came back a minute later, wearing a black button down shirt and his nicest pair of jeans. Each stole glances at the other while trying not to seem like they were staring, and then went to the front door to put on their shoes. Kyo locked the door behind them and took Tohru's hand, and they set off down the road. 

Their new neighborhood was in a quiet area, though not nearly as remote as Shigure's house. The farther they walked, the more little shops and restaurants began to line the street. They meandered, enjoying light conversation over the various things Tohru pointed out along the way. 

"Kyo-kun, look! There's a bakery over there!" Tohru smiled at a charming little shop across the street. They approached it and looked in the window: colorful pastries filled cases, and the smell of fresh cookies filled the air. Large baskets lined the back wall, all but empty with a few baguettes and other types of bread remaining from the day's stock. "It's so cute!" she sang, cupping her face to peer better inside. "I'm going to buy bread here in the mornings!" 

Kyo was amused enough by her reaction to things they saw, but the smell coming from the bakery reminded him that they hadn't eaten anything since the morning. His stomach began to ache. "Are you hungry?" he asked. 

Tohru looked up at him and nodded. 

"I saw a place on the last street. Do you want to eat there?" 

"Okay," she chirped. 

The couple headed back to the shop Kyo had mentioned and ate a simple dinner. Kyo noticed that, though she was content with their outing, something about Tohru seemed nervous. 

"What's wrong?" he asked. 

Tohru, as if snapped from a trance, stuttered an apology. "It's nothing, Kyo-kun. Don't worry about me!" 

"If you don't tell me what's wrong, I _will_ worry about you," he said matter-of-factly.

Tohru cast her eyes down, and Kyo could see that they were wet with the threat of tears. "Tohru," he cooed and took her hand, "Just tell me." 

"I guess I'm just a bit nervous about all the new changes...Looking for a job, and there are a lot of things we need at home... I don't want all the pressure to be on you, Kyo-kun." 

"It sounds more like you're putting pressure on yourself. You don't need to, you know." 

"I know, yes. I can't help it. When I imagine our future together... it doesn't have to be glamorous or anything, but in some way I want it to be perfect." 

Kyo smiled, squeezing her hand. "As long as it's with you, that's perfect for me." 

Tohru smiled, the knot of worry in her chest loosening. "Yes... you're right, Kyo-kun." 

* * *

After their meal, they strolled back in the direction of their house. The sunset turned the sky a soft pink, and the mountain whose foothills began just beyond their block caught beams of the light, reflecting gold from its trees. They found themselves silent and still, staring at the mountain for a moment, hand-in-hand, and they quietly realized everything that was happening. They were starting their lives together. Kyo's hand tightened around Tohru's, and she tightened her grip in return. 

"Let's go home," he said, his voice low. 

* * *

When they arrived, they removed their shoes and sat on the sofa. They didn't feel the need to say anything. Instead, Kyo scooted closer to her, and put his arm around her shoulders. She curled up next to him, her cheek resting on his chest. She could hear the steady thump of his heartbeat, and feel the rise and fall of his breathing. It was comfortable and warm, almost to the point she might have fallen asleep, if it weren't for the soft kisses he placed on the top of her head. 

She looked up, and he continued to kiss her -- once on the temple, twice on the cheek, slower on the corner of her mouth, and then he lingered, his lips millimeters from hers. Tohru closed her eyes, her heart fluttering in anticipation, but he still lingered. She tilted her head a little more, inviting him, but he still lingered. If she'd had her eyes open, she would have seen his devilish little grin as he brushed past her lips and kissed her other cheek.

Tohru's hand met his chest, and she could feel his hand follow the line of her side and rest on her waist. He placed a few more kisses on various spots on her face, and once again lingered close to kissing her lips. She could feel his breath, its warmth sparking a tingling sensation on her skin. Her hand traced his clavicle and then alighted on the nape of his neck, his soft orange hair around her fingers. She pulled him gently and finally their lips touched. 

Kyo moved his lips over hers slowly at first, savoring their delicate rose petal texture. Being that Tohru was the first girl he'd ever kissed, and their first kiss had happened only a matter of months ago, he still wasn't certain that he was doing it right. But he couldn't deny the indescribable pleasure he derived from doing it -- how each little movement of her skin against his created a thick, blissful haze in his mind. The thicker the haze got, the more urgent his kiss became. When her lips parted, and the tip of her tongue brushed his, it just about blinded him. All he was aware of was the feeling of her, the temperature that seemed to grow around them, and the longing building in the muscles of his abdomen. 

He pulled away from her. "Come on," he said, and he stood up and offered her his hand. When she took it, he pulled her up and led her to the bedroom. All that was in there was the bed that Shigure had bought her when she first moved into the Sohma house, and her lamp. Kyo flicked on the lamp on its lowest setting. It cast a low, warm light in the room; just enough light to see one another. 

Kyo sat on the bed, and Tohru stood facing him. She was hesitant to approach him, and thankful that the low light concealed her blushing. The look on Kyo's face was uncertain, but tender. Tohru's heart was beating quickly as thoughts rushed her mind. _Does this mean he wants to go further? I don't know if I'm ready for that yet... What if he's disappointed? What do I do? _

Without realizing it, she had walked closer to him, and his hand was gently palming her hip. Her hands rested on his shoulders, and their slight trembling must have clued him in to how nervous she was. 

"You don't need to be afraid," he said softly, with a reassuring smile. "Is that why you're shaking?" 

"I-I'm not afraid, Kyo-kun. I just..." she trailed off, unsure of how to express it to him. 

"I won't be disappointed if we don't... _do_ anything, you know." 

She looked into his eyes, finding an expression of certainty there in the warm amber. "You won't?" she asked.

"I won't." 

She smiled, a little relieved. "Thank you, Kyo-kun." 

He tightened his grip on her hip, sliding her dress just a bit higher. "Just tell me if there's something you don't like." He paused, breaking eye contact. "It's hard for me to tell if I'm getting ahead of myself when I'm with you. Everything just kind of blanks." 

His words echoed in her mind. "You feel that way too?" she said without thinking. 

He smiled up at her, his eyes so tender it made her nervousness dissipate. For a moment, they lost themselves in each other's eyes. Then, in a series of reflexive motions, they were kissing again. Tohru knelt with one of her knees between Kyo's legs, and she let his hands roam up and down her body. 

They hadn't had the opportunity to experiment much since they got together, having almost always been surrounded by people. Every stolen moment alone was either occupied by haphazard kissing, or at least exchange of flirtatious banter and small caresses. They'd had plenty of time to anticipate, in their own minds, everything that might happen once they moved away. Tohru was finding that her longing was becoming impossibly strong. Each brush of his lips or touch of his hand tingled, and spread chills like wildfire over her skin. When his hands pushed the hem of her dress over her hips, she was at once hyper aware and lost in the feeling of it. _Kyo-kun is lifting my dress,_ a peripheral thought would say. _Those are my hands unbuttoning his shirt. He can she me right now. _

Once undressed down to their underwear, Kyo found himself lying back. Tohru's soft, delicate form was on top of his, the whole of her torso pressed against his skin. He could feel how warm she was, and how, though she was light, the weight of her seemed so primal and real without clothes to separate their skin. He could smell her -- the subtle sweetness that only she possessed was all around him now, as visceral as the tickling of her hair brushing his face. He held her cheek in his palm, and when she leaned into it, he pressed his lips to her exposed neck. Her gasp was barely audible, but it drove him to explore that spot until her breathing was markedly faster. 

Tohru could scarcely believe the sensations she was feeling; it was as though her body was a wave on the ocean, his hands igniting aurora-colored bioluminescent ripples, building and building in brightness. He turned over on her, kissing her deeply, his hand roaming over her underwear. Her stomach tightened when his finger landed on a certain spot. She gasped, and he stopped immediately. Before he could say anything, she pulled him back into a kiss, encouraging him to continue. He didn't quite hit the mark again, but as he lowered closer to her, she could feel something against her leg. It was the only thing that pulled her out of her feverish trance. 

_Is that?_ she wondered. Tohru's hand easily found his leg, and almost shyly brushed higher up his thigh, dangerously close to the place that had pressed against her before. _No,_ she thought, and stopped her hand. Kyo, realizing what she was doing, stopped kissing her and met her gaze directly. Both of them blushed upon eye contact. 

"Um..." he started, struggling to string together a thought. 

"I'm sorry, Kyo-kun," Tohru muttered. 

It took a moment for him to comprehend that she was apologizing. "What?" He blinked. "N-no. Don't be sorry. I just wasn't expecting you to..." His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he sat up. Tohru sat up as well, and pressed her hands to her cheeks in embarrassment. She could see it pressed against his boxers, but tried to ignore it and keep her eyes on anything else. 

"I ruined the moment," she muttered. 

"I ruined it, not you," he sighed at himself and wrapped his arms around her. 

"I made you uncomfortable." There was a catch in her throat.

"You surprised me, sure," he paused, "but I wasn't uncomfortable." 

She gingerly wrapped her hands around his back.

"Hey, don't cry!" he could feel her tears falling on his skin.

"I'm sorry, Kyo-kun, I can't help it." She pulled away slightly and brushed the tears from her cheeks. He was surprised to see that she was smiling, though her lips were trembling. "I'm really happy that we're here together," she said. 

He ran a hand over her cheek and through her hair. "Tohru," he whispered, a hint of fondness and laughter in his voice. "I could never have imagined something like this. I wouldn't let myself imagine something like this. Even just to be able to hold you makes me so happy, I could die." 

Large tears poured from Tohru's eyes. "Kyo-kun..." she whimpered. 

They held each other until Tohru stopped crying. Kyo was glad she couldn't see his face, because his eyes were a little wet as well. 

"Kyo-kun, we should probably go to sleep." 

He chuckled. "All of that, and you want to go to sleep now? Did you tire yourself out?" 

Tohru nodded helplessly, and Kyo playfully pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Let's go to sleep." 

They each stumbled into their pajamas, and climbed under the covers. Kyo turned out the light, and Tohru snuggled up to his chest. In a few short minutes, they were asleep beneath the pale beams of moonlight shining through the window. 


	2. Desire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that they've had the opportunity to experiment more, Tohru can't seem to shake the curiosity and drive to be closer to Kyo. In this chapter, they see one another in different lights, and test the waters of their deepening relationship.

A couple weeks later, Tohru was starting to feel more comfortable with their new situation. The house was coming together as they gathered up necessities for their home as often as they could. Tohru had found work as a kindergarten teacher’s assistant after a very persuasive recommendation from her previous employer. She could imagine the strings Momiji had pulled to get his father to fit a phone call into his busy life to give a stellar review of her work ethic at his company, even though they’d never really talked while she’d been working there. Tohru called Momiji to thank him, as whatever his father had said must have sealed the deal despite her inexperience.

“It’s nothing, Tohru! You’ll be great at the job!” Momiji laughed.

“But I don’t have any real experience taking care of children! What if I took the job away from someone who would be better at it?” she puffed.

“Relax! You deserve it, Tohru! Trust me, there’s no one better for the job than you.”

“Thank you, Momiji-kun,” she said, accepting defeat.

“Anyway, how are things going with that grumpy old cat?”

“They’re great! Kyo-kun is working very hard to support us both until I start work.”

Momiji hummed, unconvinced. “You’re not bored out there, in the middle of nowhere? That Kyon just wants to keep you locked up for himself!”

“Not at all! The town is very cute, and the neighbors are nice people. Kyo-kun said he’s planning on introducing me to a friend he’s made at work.”

Momiji clicked his tongue. “Well, if you’re tired of it out there, just say the word and I’ll come and whisk you away!”

Tohru laughed. “I’d love it if you came to visit sometime,” Just then, she heard some shuffling at the front door. “I think Kyo-kun is here now! I better go. We’ll talk again soon, Momiji-kun!”

“All right, Tohru, I’ll come for a visit as soon as I can! Tell Kyon he better be taking care of you or I’ll steal you away!”

She giggled as they hung up, and then startled as Kyo’s arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

“Someone’s coming to visit?” Kyo asked, kissing the back of her head.

“Kyo-kun! Welcome home! That was Momiji-kun. I was thanking him for getting his father to give me a reference.”

Kyo perked up. “How did your interview go?” he asked, spinning her around in his arms so that she was facing him.

She attempted to feign a grim expression, but couldn’t quite conceal her smile.

“Well?” he humored her.

“I got it!”

A swell of pride filled his chest and he pulled her tight and lifted her. “That’s great news! I knew you would.” She giggled, hugging him around his shoulders. “When do you start?”

“They said I could start at the beginning of the school year as long as I start training immediately.”

Kyo beamed, setting her back down. “Were you nervous at the interview?”

Tohru shook her head. “I was a little nervous at first, but they were very nice. Apparently, they’d already spoken to Momiji’s father before I came in.”

Kyo held her hand, still smiling. “I think you would’ve gotten it anyway, without the reference.”

She shrugged. “Are you hungry, Kyo-kun?”

“Starving,” he mumbled as he nuzzled her neck playfully. He’d become increasingly affectionate since the move, though, in all their busyness getting things together, they hadn’t had a chance to resume the experimentation they began on their first night. It wasn’t for lack of desire, though. The memory of it had been popping up in both their minds at the most inopportune times.

* * *

“I’m finally going to have a day off tomorrow,” Kyo announced as they were eating.

“Oh! That’s wonderful, Kyo-kun. What should we do?”

“I was thinking, maybe we could explore the mountains a little bit. I heard at work that there’s a trail not too far from here that leads to a waterfall. It’s not that popular because everyone likes to go to the viewpoint, higher up the mountain.”

“That sounds delightful!” Tohru exclaimed.

In the morning, Tohru hummed quietly to herself while she got ready for the day. Kyo prepared a small lunch for them and stowed it in his knapsack. Both of them were enjoying the easygoing atmosphere, excited for the first full day they could spend together without needing to fulfill some obligation.

“Are you almost ready to go?” Kyo called.

“Yes!”

He heard the door to their bedroom open, and soon Tohru appeared in the kitchen, clad in shorts and braids.

“You look like you’re ready for exploring,” he chuckled.

“I am!”

“Let’s go.”

* * *

They stood at the trailhead, examining the map before setting off.

“It looks like the path we want splits off to the left before it gets too far,” Kyo mused. “It might be a little more difficult than I was expecting.”

“That’s alright! I won’t give up!” Tohru straightened her back and balled her fists, a determined expression on her face.

Kyo grinned and palmed the top of her head like a basketball, squeezing gently. “Well, just let me know if you need a rest while we’re out there,” he said.

They began their trek. Tohru kept pace with Kyo (though he was slowing somewhat so that she could keep up), and they stopped at intervals to take a breath and drink water. The forest was quiet save for the chirping of birds. It seemed there wasn’t another soul around. Eventually, their path lined up parallel to a stream, and they continued following it until they reached the waterfall. It was a relatively small waterfall, but very peaceful and beautiful to listen to. It looked deep enough to swim where the water pooled at the bottom of the falls. Large boulders surrounded the stream, so they took a seat on one of them and listened to the water. Kyo handed her one of the onigiri he had packed, and took one for himself. They relaxed, content to listen to the water and enjoy nature, hand-in-hand, until the sun rose higher above and began to warm them to an uncomfortable degree.

“I’m going to get in the water,” Kyo said, standing and removing his shirt. One thing that he noticed after the curse broke was that his aversion to water had abated significantly.

“Oh!” Tohru said, surprised. “But, Kyo-kun, won’t you be uncomfortable if your clothes get wet?”

Kyo shot her a devious smile. “Would you prefer I took them off?”

Tohru’s face went deep red. “Um, I just thought, you know, it might take a while for them to dry, and if you had to hike back in wet clothes you might be uncomfortable,” she stuttered.

“Joking,” Kyo said, crossing his arms over his muscular chest and turning to look at the pool beneath the falls. “I wonder how deep it is anyway.” He stepped over to a nearby fallen tree, and snapped a long branch off of it. Then he leaned over and plunged it into the pool. It looked to go in a little over a meter. All the while, Tohru watched as he moved, as the muscle contracted and relaxed under his tan skin. She gulped.

“Don’t _you_ want to get in the water?” he asked.

Tohru nodded. “But I don’t want to get my clothes wet.”

“So…” he blushed, “take them off and get in if you want. I won’t look.”

Her heart beat faster. “I-is that okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” he shrugged, turning his eyes to the trail. “No one has been on this trail all day.”

“No, I mean… with you?”

Kyo looked at her then, blushing and ruffling his hair shyly. “Yeah… it’s okay with me.”

If he’d told her that after just reaching the falls, she might have passed out from the combination with her exhaustion. Instead, she felt a dizzying feeling rush through her body and her eyes lost focus.

“Just forget what I said. I’m sorry, I don’t know what I’m thinking,” he backtracked. His heart raced and a hot dread settled on the back of his neck. _Did I freak her out by saying that?_ he wondered.

Tohru waved her hands and squeezed her eyes shut, a little smile forming on her lips. “No, no, Kyo-kun, it’s really alright. I don’t mind.” She removed her shoes and stood up. Then she shakily pulled up the hem of her shirt. “You said you’d turn around,” she said in a pleading tone.

Kyo, who hadn’t realized he’d been staring, spun around. His face and neck were a deep shade of red. “Just be careful, okay?” he tried to sound nonchalant.

A minute later, Tohru called from the small pool. “I’m in now. It’s so nice, Kyo-kun!”

He turned to see her smiling, the pink and crème tones of her flesh mixed into the ripples of the water into an almost indistinguishable palette. _Almost_.

“Are you coming in too?” she asked.

“Should I?”

“Yes! Please do,” she beamed.

He frowned. “Then you have to look away too.”

Her eye caught his, and they sustained eye contact for a second longer. Tohru found herself reluctant to look away, and was surprised at herself for it. She turned her head slowly, and closed her eyes. She heard him shuffling with his clothes, and the sound of bare feet stepping on the earth. Then she felt the water swirl around her.

“You can turn back now,” he said.

He was closer to her than she expected, and they had to squat down to be submerged in the water. Their knees brushed together.

“This is refreshing!” Tohru piped up.

“Yeah, it is.”

Mist dotted over their skin from the spray of the waterfall, forming a glistening sheen over their shoulders. When he moved his arms, the light shifted and Tohru found herself mesmerized by the shape of his clavicle.

“Is there something on my neck?” he asked, bringing his hand up to brush at the spot she seemed to be staring at. She snapped out of her trance.

“Oh! No, sorry. I must have been spacing out.”

He offered her a shy smile, and granted himself a moment to look at her. Her eyes seemed to sparkle in the scattered beams of sunlight, and little droplets of water scattered every which way, seeming like little fireworks surrounding her. _She’s so beautiful_, he thought to himself. But it wasn’t just that thought that crossed his mind. There were a myriad of other thoughts there, too – ideas and things he wanted to say, but couldn’t find the words.

He touched her arm under the water. The texture of her skin was different in the water than he was used to. It was almost like she was a different kind of creature, with a different kind of electricity than the kind he felt when he held her close in bed. Normally her body was warm, comforting. Inviting. In the water, the shape of her seemed more tactile and formative somehow.

All of this drifted through his head in seconds, barely giving him time to fathom that he was thinking at all, before he felt Tohru’s little hand on his arm. She glided in the water so that she was next to him, and he instinctively put his arm around her shoulders, cushioning her back from the rocks behind them.

Tohru could feel his side against her arm, and her thigh was brushing against his. Even though the water was cooling them both, the unmistakable warmth of his body touching hers was causing her stomach to flutter.

She smiled at him in a daze, her eyes half closed, content and sparkling. Without a word, Kyo instinctively pressed his lips to hers. She melted against him and moved her lips in languid response. What started as a gentle, pulsing motion soon grew deeper. Tohru turned more to face him, leaning on his chest slightly and brushing her fingertips along his jawline. He held the back of her head, weaving his fingers into the loose braids at the nape of her neck. Chills spread over her body, as his hand travelled slowly down to the small of her back.

Then, without warning, Tohru pushed away from him and yelped. She stood up and jumped out of the water, tears welling up in her eyes as she breathlessly stuttered, “It’s a s-snake!” Kyo was startled, but felt around in the water with his hands until he felt something long and slimy. He pulled it up.

“Is this what you mean?” It was a piece of algae that had been stuck to a wad of grass.

Once she was able to comprehend that they weren’t in any danger, she realized that she was standing stark naked in front of him. She shrieked and put an arm over her breasts, and a hand in front of her crotch. In a split second, Kyo realized as well and spun around. He couldn’t ignore the image that imprinted on his mind, however, and felt himself warm at the thought of her pale skin – all of her pale skin – in the natural light.

He was still in the water, which barely covered him when standing, and Tohru could see the lines of muscle all down his back, culminating in a pair of well-sculpted glutes. She got a grip on her breathing and stepped over to where she’d left a neatly folded little pile of her clothing. Once she was dressed, she cleared her throat.

“Kyo-kun, I’m dressed now,” she murmured.

“Okay. Turn around.”

She did so, and heard him get out of the water. In a moment, rather than hearing the expected “all-clear,” she felt his body behind her, and his arms wrap around her waist.

“Don’t think you’ll get off that easy.” His voice was a low, sultry rumble in her ear. Her neck tingled in a way that made her feel caught, but in a trap that she never wanted to leave.

Before she could say anything, he released her from his arms and said “Come on.” She followed him back to the path, and they made their journey back home. About halfway down the trail, they crossed paths with a young man, hiking with a camera hung around his neck. He nodded a polite hello to them as he passed by, and they returned the gesture. Once he was out of sight, Kyo and Tohru glanced at each other. A moment of tension passed, and then Kyo burst out laughing. Tohru laughed wearily, conflicted between embarrassment that they almost got caught and relief that they didn’t. As the trail evened out, Kyo held her hand. They passed a bush in bloom with bright pink flowers, and Kyo plucked the prettiest one and stuck it into the crux of her braids.

* * *

When they finally arrived home, Tohru heaved a sigh of relief as she took off her shoes.

“Kyo-kun, I’m going to take a bath now, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” he said.

She disappeared into the bathroom, and while she was sitting in the tub she thought exhaustively about the hike. About how Kyo’s skin felt touching hers, and about seeing so much of him in broad daylight. _He saw everything,_ she screamed internally. _But he hasn’t said anything. Maybe he didn’t really care. What if he doesn’t like what he saw? What should I do? _

However exciting the experience had been, Tohru couldn’t deny that the whole thing had left her fatigued, perhaps mostly due to the hike itself. When she emerged from the bathroom in her favorite comfortable dress, she called out. “Kyo-kun, it’s free for you now.”

There was no response.

“Kyo-kun?” She walked into the living room, only to find him snoozing on the sofa. His face looked angelic when he was sleeping. His lips slightly parted as he exhaled. She bent down, taking a close look at his features. His eyelashes fluttered so slightly anyone else would have missed it. She leaned in and brushed her lips against his.

Kyo’s dream faded away as the soft pressure against his lips became corporeal. He kissed back lightly, and Tohru pulled away. He took a deep breath and stretched his neck. Some of his mannerisms, Tohru guessed, would always seem catlike.

“Kyo-kun…” she started, but he shushed her and took her by the hand, pulling her sideways onto his lap. He leaned his face against her chest, his grogginess not completely dissipated.

“You thought I’d forget, didn’t you?” he mumbled. Then he said nothing.

Tohru tried to see his face, her heart beating quicker. _He’s fallen back asleep! _she thought.

“Is it okay… if I don’t look away sometimes?”

_He’s talking in his sleep! He has to be!_

“Um… Kyo-kun…” she whispered.

He could hear her heart beating faster in response to his questions. He squeezed her leg gently, just above the knee, and looked up. He wasn’t asleep, though his amber eyes did have a dreaminess about them that Tohru only saw rarely when he'd just woken up. He waited for her to say something.

Taken by this suddenly heavy moment, all she could think to do was nod slightly, and then slowly lean in to kiss him again.


End file.
